Quick answer: Keep well away from seals and nesting birds, and leave if they show signs of disturbance. In Scotland, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code asks water users to avoid no-paddle zones that protect nesting birds. In Pembrokeshire, Wales, the voluntary Marine Code asks paddlers to keep at least 50 metres from seals and seabirds. In England, all wild birds are protected by law, and some species have extra protection against disturbance at the nest.
A paddle board is quiet and low, which lets paddlers get close to wildlife, and that is exactly the problem: closeness can cause stress, wasted energy and abandoned young. This guide sets out the published wildlife guidance in each nation. It is general information; local signs and site rules always need following, and the codes below are not identical.
Why disturbance matters
NatureScot’s wildlife guidance, published on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website, defines disturbance as actions that make an animal feel threatened so that it tries to escape or changes its behaviour. Its examples include flocks of birds flying away, hauled-out seals stampeding into the water and otters abandoning their hunt. It says that causing a bird to fly away uses valuable energy, can lead to injury and may make the bird abandon a nest or young, and that repeated disturbance causes stress, particularly in the breeding season or in cold weather.
Scotland: the Access Code and lochs
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code’s wildlife guidance offers tips that suit paddlers well:
- watch wildlife from a respectful distance and learn the signs of disturbance, such as “heads up” responses, alarm calls, sudden movements or aggression, then move away;
- pass close to wildlife slowly and cautiously, with steady, predictable movements, and do not approach directly;
- leave as quietly and carefully as you arrived;
- when doing water-based activities, take care entering and leaving the water and avoid any no-paddle zones that protect birds nesting at the edges of lochs and rivers;
- take extra care when passing or landing on an island, because islands can be a refuge for wildlife.
The guidance also notes that ground-nesting birds usually breed and rear young from April to July in areas that include loch shores and the seashore, and that a dog that chases or approaches wildlife can cause immense stress.
A specific example comes from Loch Leven National Nature Reserve. NatureScot says that between 1 April and 31 August paddlers should launch only from Burleigh Sands or Kirkgate Beach and stay 200 metres away from the shoreline and islands, and that between September and March it advises against watersports because of the number of birds. That is a rule for one reserve, but it shows how seasons can change the answer. See also the site’s guide to paddle boarding in Scotland and the Outdoor Access Code.
Wales: the Pembrokeshire Marine Code
The Pembrokeshire Marine Code, developed in 2002, is a voluntary approach to limit disturbance as recreation grows, supported by codes of conduct and agreed access restrictions. Other Welsh regions have their own codes, so the details below apply to Pembrokeshire.
For seals, the code says grey seals are sensitive to disturbance and protected by law, and that they haul out to pup from usually August to the end of November. It asks users to:
- not land on pupping beaches from 1 August to the end of November;
- keep at least 50 metres from seals and be aware at 100 metres, unless the seals approach you;
- avoid creeping up or approaching bow on, because seals may see a predator;
- always allow an escape route and avoid boxing them in;
- keep viewing time to 10 minutes and move away if disturbance is seen;
- not swim with, touch or feed seals.
For seabirds, the code says March to July is a particularly sensitive time as birds come ashore to nest, and asks users to keep at least 50 metres away. It adds that auks such as guillemots and razorbills incubate eggs on their feet, so a panicked departure from a ledge can dislodge and destroy eggs, and that rafting birds on open water should not be disturbed. Signs of disturbance for seals include rapid swimming, sudden panic diving and re-entering the water, and for seabirds head craning, head turning, head bobbing and wing flapping.
England: protection under the law
GOV.UK’s guidance on wild birds, which applies to England, says all wild bird species, their eggs and nests are protected by law. It is an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy a nest while it is being used or built. Species known as Schedule 1 birds, such as barn owls, have extra protection: it is also an offence to disturb them while nesting, building a nest, or in or near a nest with young, or to disturb their dependent young, either intentionally or by not taking enough care. The guidance gives the penalty as an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison for each offence. The page lists creating disturbance such as noise, lighting and vibration among the activities that can affect wild birds, particularly in the breeding season.
A simple rule set for every nation
- Check for seasonal restrictions, signage and codes before launching.
- Keep your distance, and treat 50 metres from seals and seabirds as the Pembrokeshire minimum.
- Move slowly and steadily, and never approach head on.
- Leave at the first sign of disturbance.
- Keep dogs under close control, or leave them at home.
The site’s guide to the best places to paddle board in the UK flags several spots where wildlife restrictions apply.
The bottom line
Wildlife guidance differs by nation, but the message is the same: give seals and nesting birds space, avoid breeding seasons and sensitive sites, and leave as soon as animals show signs of stress. Scotland has the Access Code and site rules such as Loch Leven’s, Pembrokeshire has a voluntary code with 50-metre distances and seasonal limits, and England protects wild birds in law. Follow the specific local guidance and signs on the day.
Sources
- Exploring without disturbing wildlife (outdooraccess-scotland.scot)
- Loch Leven NNR: visiting the reserve (nature.scot)
- Pembrokeshire Marine Code: about us (pembrokeshiremarinecode.org.uk)
- Code of Conduct for Seals (pembrokeshiremarinecode.org.uk)
- Code of Conduct for Seabirds (pembrokeshiremarinecode.org.uk)
- Wild birds: protection and licences (gov.uk)